London: Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has declared that sustainable peace and bilateral relations between Pakistan and India are impossible without a resolution to the Kashmir dispute.

Addressing a gathering of Overseas Pakistanis in London, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif criticised New Delhi's approach and urged India to adopt the behaviour of a cooperative neighbour rather than a combative one.

'If anyone believes that Pakistan-India relations can be established without addressing the Kashmir issue, they are living in a fool's paradise.'

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized that Pakistan seeks dialogue with India on the basis of equality, noting that the two nations have spent billions of dollars on wars that could have been invested in public welfare and development.

'Pakistan and India are neighbours - we must learn to live together. But let me be clear: there can be no normalisation of ties without resolving Kashmir. The blood of the Kashmiri people will not go in vain,' he added.

The Prime Minister acknowledged the relentless efforts of Pakistani expatriates who, through their hard work across the globe, sent home over 38 billion dollars in remittances. He said these remittances have played a crucial role in supporting the economy.

PM Shehbaz Sharif also congratulated the expatriate community on Pakistan's recent military success against India during the "Marka-e-Haq" and "Operation Bunyanum Marsoos" following Pahalgam incident.

The Prime Minister stated that Pakistan had offered to form an international committee to investigate the incident, but India refused and instead targeted civilians inside Pakistan.

He said Pakistan had no choice but to respond and Pakistan Air Force shot down six Indian fighter jets in retaliation.

He praised the leadership of Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for leading the Marka-e-Haq.

PM Shehbaz Sharif said it was the unity between political and military leadership, faith in Allah, and the professionalism of our armed forces that led to this success.

He reiterated Pakistan's desire for peace and dialogue with India. He said we seek peaceful resolution of all outstanding issues, especially Kashmir, but talks must be held on equal footing.

He condemned the ongoing Israeli actions in Gaza, calling them unprecedented atrocities in history.

The Prime Minister urged the Muslim Ummah to play an active role in promoting peace in the Middle East.

He reaffirmed government's resolve to transform Pakistan into a resilient, debt-free economy built on sustainable growth and self-reliance.

Emphasizing the importance of modern education, the Prime Minister said we must equip our youth with the latest skills in IT and Artificial Intelligence to compete in the global economy.

He said that Pakistan's founding fathers envisioned a dignified and respected place for the country among the comity of nations, and with strong will, unity, and clear vision, that goal is well within reach.

Addressing the gathering, Deputy Prime Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar described overseas Pakistanis as a vital bridge between Pakistan and the United Kingdom and playing an crucial role in strengthening bilateral ties.

He recalled that when the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government assumed office in 2022, the country was on the brink of default. However, through focused economic reforms and responsible fiscal management, we managed to stabilize the economy.

The Deputy Prime Minister said inflation and interest rates have decreased and key economic indicators are showing improvement.

He emphasized that Pakistan is moving forward with national consensus in the fields of defense, economy, and diplomacy.

Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif, in his speech, said that the country was facing severe internal and external challenges when the current government came into power.

He termed remittances from overseas Pakistanis as a lifeline for the country's economy and called the victory in Marka-e-Haq as an unprecedented event in Pakistan's military history.

In his remarks, Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Chaudhry Salik Hussain termed the Pakistani diaspora as one of the country's greatest assets.

He highlighted how recent developments including Marka-e-Haq and the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia defence agreement have elevated Pakistan's image at the international level.

He said the unity between Pakistan's political and military leadership is now translating into real progress.

Minister of State for Overseas Pakistanis, Muhammad Aun Saqlain Chaudhry, said the turnout showed how much overseas Pakistanis love their country. He added that Pakistan's recent achievements have strengthened the country's global standing, a source of pride for all citizens.

The PM also touched on Bunyan-um-Marsoos, the economy, and Pakistan's diplomatic relations during his address, according to the minister.